What Are The Best Attributes Of A Gravel Driveway?

Anyone walking down the street in most towns cannot help but notice that quite a lot of homes have gravel driveways. If you don’t, but are thinking over your options for renewing your driveway, you might wonder what the advantages could be in choosing this surface.

The upsides of a gravel driveway are as follows:

·       It is easy to lay: It just has to be put down and spread evenly

·       Maintenance of the surface is easy, as it can be evened out again if necessary and a bit of extra gravel can be added if required

·       It drains very easily, which could make it an ideal solution if this has been a problem for you.

A further positive is the issue of security. Gravel driveways, as well as gravel patches in general, are recommended as a means of protecting your home against burglaries. The robbers love to sneak around unseen and silently in the dark, but they can’t do this when there’s an audible crunch sound as they walk across the gravel surface.

A few potential negatives may also be considered:

·       Gravel can be disturbed and end up spilling over onto the garden on either side, or the pavement beyond

·       It can sprout weeds, although a weed membrane can help

However, weeds can be an issue in different types of driveways, which simply shows that good, simple maintenance matters. The disturbance of stones can also be dealt with effectively.

Are Flatter Surfaces Better For Gravel Driveways?

Gravel may be best suited to a flatter surface, rather than one on a steep slope. This will stop the stone from being pushed downhill by your car and it may also lend itself to the installation of some form of edging on either side of it to act as a barrier against the stones being displaced onto your lawn or flower beds.

However, you do need a little bit of a gradient to allow water to drain away easily.

Gravel driveways may not be the ideal or preferred solution for everyone, but for many homes, they offer a great practical, easy-to-maintain and cost-effective solution, as well as offering extra home security by deterring burglars.